The present invention relates to the field of cardboard model vehicle, more specifically, vehicle replica containers made from cardboard material or the like.
Model cars made from cardboard or other semi-rigid material have been around for years. These cars have been made from one or more pieces of cardboard like material, sometimes from cut outs and sometimes from one single sheet of cardboard like material. When intended as a promotional device, it is desired and necessary that the cardboard model be easily and quickly constructed and thus it is often required that the model be constructed from one cardboard sheet. Advantages of a one sheet, i.e., one-piece unit, include factors such as lower cost, easier printing of the model design or artwork on the cardboard, compact shipping, and ease and quickness in construction, are advantages of a one-piece system; however, the one-piece system also makes very difficult the availability to accurately replicate the designated automobiles.
Kiokane, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,133, discloses a one-piece cardboard vehicle replica. However, the resulting structure does not provide or allow for a realistic representation of such things as the interior of the car, nor does it provide for a realistic steering wheel structure and appearance, dashboard shelf and speedometer structure. Neither does it allow for such things as more accurate representations of fender well structures, recessed head lights, front ends nor the fuller windshields of the older model cars (1950's for example) which often included window wings. A sturdier structure is needed also for it to be used as a coin bank. These are some of the limitations of the prior art.
An entire new structure is thus required to allow for such realistic features. It is thus an object of the invention to provide a one-piece cardboard-like structure cut in such a manner so as to allow it to be folded into a more accurate representation of automobiles, including older automobiles, allowing for more realistic appearing interior structures, front ends and back ends, with fuller windshields providing for window wings and more realistic representations of fender wells and headlights structures. It is also an object to allow for, in one version of the invention, the front hood and/or rear hood to be, or appear to be, lower than the fenders on either side, and bowed.
The instant invention thus allows for a device that is easy to manufacture, has built in structure allowing for the side window (wing windows) in the older automobiles; has a unique cover above the headlights allowing for recessed headlights; it allows for a dashboard shelf and a dashboard control panel allowing for three dimensional or two dimensional type replicas on the dashboard shelf; it allows for a more realistic appearing steering wheel, allows for a stronger bottom and allows for easier shaping of the hood by varying the location of the tab and cut of the hood-windshield assembly and fold lines within the hood assembly.
It is also an object of the invention that the interior of the car be able to carry items and things such as food in take out restaurants, coins, candies, toys, etc.
Other objects and features of the invention and the manner in which the invention achieves its purpose will be appreciated from the following description and the accompanying drawings which exemplify the invention, it being understood that changes may be made in the specific method and apparatus disclosed herein without departing from the essentials of the invention set forth in the appended claims.